Forging a career in the professions gets harder as you get older. Cost, family responsibilities and fear of abandoning the known for the unknown make it rare for mature students to read for degrees in subjects such as medicine, architecture or engineering.
One profession which is more "mature student friendly" than most is the law. Older students seem to do well on undergraduate programmes and their life experience stands to them if they go into practice. The Honourable Society of King's Inns which trains would-be barristers also accepts mature students and provided a candidate's qualifications stack up, a primary law degree is not a prerequisite for studying for the Bar.
What is needed, however, is staying power, as those without a law degree are facing four years of study to qualify. Their normal route is through a two year diploma in legal studies followed by a two year barrister-at-law degree course. Candidates applying for the legal studies diploma must either have a primary degree from a recognised third-level institution or ask to be considered for one of the places reserved for mature students. Mature students must be over 25 years of age and must be able to satisfy the education committee of their suitability for the course.
The diploma course begins in early October and lectures (which are compulsory) take place in the evenings starting at 6.45. Lectures run over 25 weeks and assessment is by examination in May of the following year. In year one, students cover subjects such as land law, criminal law and introduction to the legal system. In year two, the subjects dealt with include family law, law of the European Union and Irish constitutional law. The fees for the diploma are £2,800 per annum with books extra.
There are approximately 50 places on the diploma course and all of the lecturers are practising barristers. The course is intensive (students must attend four nights a week for 2-3 hours) and in terms of content is equivalent to a full-time programme. Those most likely to consider taking the diploma are prospective barristers, those whose jobs bring them into contact with legal matters and young graduates from non-legal backgrounds.
There are roughly 100 places available on the barrister-at-law degree programme and entry is open to those with either a law degree or the King's Inns legal studies diploma. The degree programme takes two years and students attend (compulsory) late afternoon lectures five days a week. In attention to lectures, students must attend tutorials and visits to relevant institutions such as the courts and prisons.
Of the 100 places available, roughly 50 per cent are reserved for Law graduates, a further 40 per cent for diploma holders and the final 10 per cent are allocated at the discretion of the Society's education committee. The cost of the course is £2,900 per annum (plus a £250 admission fee) and assessment is by examination. From 2002, entrance to the degree programme will be by exam with places awarded on merit.
In year one, students cover subjects such as taxation, competition law and practice and procedure while in year two advocacy, legal drafting and negotiation and the law of evidence form part of the curriculum. As part of the King's Inns tradition, degree students are also expected to "keep commons" (eat an evening meal) in the Society's dining room on 10 days in each academic year.
Students who successfully complete the degree programme are entitled to be called to the Irish Bar by the chief justice. However, before they can do this they have to pass an Irish exam. Tuition in Irish is given as part of the course. Newly qualified barristers would normally spend their post-qualification year "devilling" or working as an apprentice to an experienced barrister.
Applications for entry to either the diploma or degree course must be lodged before Friday, March 31st. Telephone (01) 874 4840 or fax (01) 872 6048 for an application form.
